Trust Me with Lipstick and a Sword?
by ashcandy
Summary: Kenshin, a rurouni trained in the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, meets Kaoru a chipper student who manages to battle uneven biceps, have bad hair days, and catch colds while still keeping her grades up.
1. Default Chapter

Trust Me with Lipstick and a Sword?  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its charectars. They belong to Watsuki Nobuhiro. U know the drill. On to the story!  
  
Chapter 1 Ai-chan  
  
"So, wait. You multiply 'b' by four plus 'c' times 'a,' and then you find the square root of that. 6.23865. Kaoru! I don't get it!"  
  
Kaoru giggled at Misao who was sitting next to her. "Just take the product of these two over here," she pointed at a spot on the textbook. "And add it to this one." She moved her finger slightly. "And multiply it to this!" Kaoru clapped her hands to emphasize the simplicity of the problem. "See? Easy!"  
  
Misao gave her a blank look. "Yeah, for you. You're the smartest girl in the entire city of Fukuju."  
  
"Am not." She rolled her eyes. "Just work harder, okay? I'm trying my best here! Uh, Misao? Misaaaaoooo?" Kaoru's hand waving in front of Misao's face went unnoticed. "Moshi moshi?" She shifted her gaze in the direction Misao's was in.  
  
"Oh."  
  
A few meters away stood a tall boy - a junior - with ebony hair and a stoic glare planted firmly on his face. He was talking - well. not talking - listening to another junior with spiky brown hair and a red bandana who seemed to be raving about the prices of the school lunches and how they were impacting his profits.  
  
Misao gave a giggle and sighed dreamily. "Aoshi-sama. You're much more interesting than math, Aoshi-sama."  
  
"Snap out of it! I'm tutoring you now during lunch because you have a test next period. Remember?! Misao!" She attempted to ignore the sparkles in her best friends eyes. "And since when was he your master?"  
  
"Since last week," Misao said in a sing-song voice, her hands holding her head up from the table.  
  
"You know, you do have his school picture, so you can stare at him whenever you want! It's study time now! Do you want to fail?" Kaoru persisted.  
  
Misao just gave another sigh.  
  
"Mi-sa-o! Get a grip, will you! Tameiki-sensei's gonna get mad at you!" She paused. "Again!"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Wa-ke up!"  
  
Still no response.  
  
Kaoru tugged on her friend's arm, long braid, and ear. None but the last worked.  
  
"Ow ow ow ow ow! Hey, cut it out! I'll study, I'll study!" Misao battered away Kaoru's hand.  
  
"Good. Now then, where were we? Oh yeah. Okay, so you take this answer here and put it on the side for now. You plug this back in later, after you've done the quadratic equation to solve."  
  
The bell rang.  
  
~*~  
  
"I think I failed."  
  
Two certain sophomore girls walked toward Fukuju Middle-school to pick up a certain "little punk seventh-grader" and take him home.  
  
Kaoru was Yahiko's next-door neighbor and sempai in kendo. Everyday Kaoru picked him up and walk him home as a favor to his parents. She enjoyed helping out the family, but didn't like it much when Yahiko called her -  
  
"Oi! Busu! I'm over here! Hurry up!"  
  
"Busu again, is it? Just wait till next week at kendo! I'll pound you!" She screamed at him.  
  
"Hey, Kaoru, wanna borrow my kunai?" Misao offered.  
  
Kaoru groaned. "No, I'll get him at kendo ten times harder than normal anyway." She grinned evilly. "Wouldn't want to kill him."  
  
Misao smiled. "Well, I don't know about you, but since I'm staying over tonight I want you to be in 'let's talk about boys' mode. Not 'I am going to kill my little neighbor' mode. What do you think?"  
  
"Aoshi-sama again?" She shook her head.  
  
"Well, of course him! But I also heard from my sources that there's an amazingly cute new guy at your dojo! How 'bout it, Kaoru?"  
  
"I'm not that into boys, you know that."  
  
"But.! But. I know you're still sad about Enishi, but he was a jerk! You've got to get over him and move on!"  
  
"Yeah, you're right," Kaoru confessed lamely. "We're here."  
  
Yahiko had run off to his house by the time the girls stepped through the front door of the Takani residence.  
  
"Tadaima."  
  
A/N: Enjoy? Hope so!! Canchan here-this was written by Ashuli. She's written two of my chapters so you'll see her writing again later. Ummm. she's helped me write, edit, and listened to me ramble about my ideas so Ashie.. Thankies!!! Hmmm. I've been writing this fic out of order (a first for me) and so the first two or three or more that I wrote aren't too vital to the plot; they were just fun things that happened to me. Yea, I rambled for several days online and made Ash listen to me until I fully fleshed out my plot. This is just the first chap-an intro chap. So another will be out soon if not already. Canchan ^_^ PS. REVIEW PLEASE? Clicky clicky!!! 


	2. Sick

Disclaimer: We both know that Rurouni Kenshin is not mine nor is any of the characters. -_-  
  
(2)Sick Can-chan  
  
Misao was sitting in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on plate tectonics. Her science teacher, Taikutsu sensei possessed a voice that could have even lulled her Aoshi-sama to sleep.  
  
"Plate tectonics are the movement of the earth's surfaces. One example is Pangea."  
  
Sighing, her cerulean eyes lazily began to roam around the classroom. After a quick scan of the room they settled on her friend Kaoru who was sitting in the desk next to her. As her best friend, Misao could say that Kaoru was not looking her finest. Currently she was asleep, left arm pillowing her head. Her mouth was wide open and a little bubble was issuing from her nose every time she took a breath.  
  
"Oi, Kaoru, you feeling alright?" Misao whispered slightly concerned. She had never seen Kaoru fall asleep during a lecture no matter how boring it was.  
  
"Hmm? Nani? Oww, that hikimen* hurt!!" she grunted sleepily obviously dreaming about kendo practice.  
  
"Kaoru. Kaoru." Misao sang in a ghost like tone. Getting up and standing behind her she yelled, "Wake up!! Wake up!!!"  
  
"Nani!?" Kaoru complained as she lifted her head off of the desk. Her black hair was slightly tousled.  
  
"Daijoubou?" Misao asked tilting her head so that her braid fell forward into her lap.  
  
"Hai,hai, but it's cold," she replied. But Misao wasn't fooled. Kaoru had a slight head cold for the last couple of days. For some strange reason she insisted on going to school. Why she'd want to come to school when she could stay home eluded Misao.  
  
"Maybe you should go see a doctor," Misao continued. "You're kind of pale, well paler than normal and your already really white. And you fell asleep during a lecture. You never do that. Wow, it's taken years for me to finally rub off on you."  
  
"Thank-you, Misao. But I'm fine," Kaoru snapped and pulled her heavy woolen sweater closer around her shoulders.  
  
*BRing*  
  
That was the end of period bell.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" Misao asked popping up all around Kaoru as they walked out of the class and down the hall.  
  
"Hai,hai!"  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Misao and Kaoru were walking like always to the Fukuju Middle School to pick up dear Yahiko.  
  
"Oh, you know Aoshi-sama looked at me today!" Misao said lost in the world of lala's and googley eyes.  
  
"That's nice," Kaoru returned dully. There were deep purple rings under her eyes and her head was throbbing.  
  
Just at that moment Yahiko came jogging up to them in his school uniform.  
  
"Hey," he yelled then stopped three steps from them. "Oi, Busu, you look worse than normal. And that's quite an accomplishment."  
  
Kaoru grunted, "Well, you'll look like raw meat after I'm finished training you tonight. Maybe we should start early!"  
  
She lunged at him and Yahiko yelped loudly. But lucky for him they had just reached his house and he quickly retreated inside.  
  
As Kaoru and Misao entered her house, Kaoru called, "Tadaima!"  
  
"Oh, Tanuki you're home," Megumi said. Kaoru nodded and quickly tried to retreat upstairs before Megumi could get a good look at her runny, red nose.  
  
"I'm here too, Megumi!" Misao called happily and waved manically.  
  
Too late, Megumi had caught sight of her sick niece and cried, "Oh, Tanuki, you've gotten worse! We have to call the doctor! Oh wait; I am a doctor. O hohohohoh!" she covered her mouth and laughed as fox ears sprouted from her head.  
  
"No, I'm fine," Kaoru insisted even though her head throbbed with each sound that issued from her mouth.  
  
"You have a fever," Megumi said as she felt her forehead. Kaoru knew that she was shivering and it was eighty-five degrees out. "Go up to bed! Misao, make sure she goes to bed."  
  
With a nod and a bounce Misao pushed Kaoru up the stairs. In her room Kaoru snatched her red yukata (the warmest piece of clothing she owned) off of its hanger and pulled it over her shoulders then stumbled into bed seeking the warmth of her futon and hoping that she would feel better in a little while.  
  
"I don't know why you two are making such a fuss. I'm not that sick!" she said miserably and blew her nose loudly.  
  
"Well, you do look sick and ." Misao broke off since her only audience fell asleep.  
  
It was six o'clock and Kaoru woke with a start. Her mouth and lips were dry and cracked; she suspected that since she couldn't breathe through her nose she had slept with her mouth open. Misao was still here and playing Tekken fighter on Kaoru's PS II.  
  
"Oh yea get um!" she said slightly softer than usual. "Punch, jump, oh, round kick! Oh K.O!!"  
  
"Having fun?" Kaoru asked in a stuffy voice.  
  
"Yeah," she responded still totally engrossed in her game, "You're awake!" But Kaoru was already out of bed and changing into her blue hakama and white gi. "What are you doing?" Misao asked as her best friend stumbled out the door.  
  
"I'm going to Kendo," Kaoru answered smoothing chapstick onto her lips then trotted quickly down the stairs.  
  
"MEEGGUUMIIIIII!!!" Misao yelled, "She's trying to escape!" Megumi quickly came running with a wooden spoon still in her hand. It seemed that she was in the middle of making dinner. She headed Kaoru off in the living room. Kaoru had already retrieved her shinais and armor and was heading for the door.  
  
"Sorry Kaoru, you can't go tonight!!" Megumi said.  
  
"I have to go! It takes two lessons to make up for missing one!" Kaoru yelled.  
  
"You can't leave!!!" Misao yelled and dived for Kaoru's knees. With two arms firmly latched onto her knees, Kaoru wasn't able to take even one step towards the door.  
  
"Ahh, get off!" Kaoru said as she attempted to take a step forward against her better judgment. As a result both Kaoru and Misao tripped and fell into Megumi. All three landed in a tangle of arms and legs on the floor.  
  
Quickly Megumi popped up, disappeared, and came back with a pair of orange hashi in her hand before either of the other girls could pull themselves to their feet.  
  
"Take these," Megumi thrust the hashi into Kaoru's hand, "go upstairs and I'll bring your dinner up."  
  
Glossary 1. Hikimen- it's a retreating attack. Also called taitai (think about the real name and then you'll know why we call it taitai) You use it so that you can put some distance between you and your opponent; it usually comes after close quarters. It's pretty hard. I learned it from Inu-sempai even though I wasn't supposed to. ^_^; 2. Hashi- chopsticks. You know most people don't know how to use them properly. My grandma just taught me how a few months ago.  
  
A/N: Ok, well I really was sick when I wrote this. Actually, the whole idea for this fic hit me when I was curled up in my yukata (it is the warmest piece of clothing I own; how sad ^_^;;;) under the covers and watching an English *shudder, shudder* episode of Kenshin. Yup, I was perfectly miserable when suddenly my fevered brain was flooded with this idea. It's a mark of how sick I was that I actually thought up an idea for a fic. LoL. So till next time. Canchan PS. REVIEw please? 


	3. Hair

(3)Hair Can-chan  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. or any of the characters. too bad. On to the story!  
  
"Hurry up Misao!" Kaoru said anxiously. "It's almost time for class to start!" The two girls were sitting on the cold counter in the newly remodeled bathroom at the dojo.  
  
"I'm going as fast as I can! You have so much hair; it's hard," the weasel- girl complained. Her hands were full of slick black hair and bobbi pins were sticking out of her mouth at odd angles.  
  
"Hurry! Enishi's coming tonight and I want him to remember that he was dumped by a goddess and that I still have my pride," Kaoru said with a little too much feigned dignity.  
  
Misao gave a sigh as she wound Kaoru's hair into a tight bun high on the back of her head. She pulled a rubber band around it and proceeded to bobbi pin the bun into place. Then moved on to curling Kaoru's hair.  
  
"Stop moving!" Misao gave Kaoru's long tendril of hair that she was currently trying to curl with the iron a sharp jerk. Kaoru immediately stopped fidgeting.  
  
"You didn't have to pull my hair," Kaoru grumbled. Kaoru tugged at the indigo ribbon that her Misao had just tied around her hair.  
  
"Okay, done," Misao patted her hair. "Your hair should stay during your class but I'm afraid that the curls will probably fall out."  
  
Both girls slid off of the counter and landed silently on the floor. Kaoru's hakama was tied loosely around her hips and consequently dragged on the floor. She pulled it up to her waist and retied it-first she tied the front half on then the back and made a pretty little bow in front-- and appraised her appearance in the mirror.  
  
"Not bad," she nodded, "It's something different. I look nice right?"  
  
"Of course you do. Are you forgetting who did your hair?" Misao too turned to appraise Kaoru's appearance. In her own opinion Kaoru did look like nice.  
  
"Okay, off to impress a dojo full of guys," Kaoru said not overly excited.  
  
"Ano. have you seen that guy yet?" Misao asked expectantly.  
  
"What guy?" Kaoru returned genuinely puzzled.  
  
"You know. The guy that my sources tells me is really hot!" Misao was getting excited. "According to my sources he's a really good swordsman with long red hair and nice violet eyes. Of course he's not really my type. My type is tall with dark hair. mysterious. My type is Aoshi-sama." she trailed off dreamily.  
  
Kaoru walked towards the door and held it open for Misao who was still dazed at the thought of Aoshi.  
  
"Okay then, Kaoru, I'll be going now. See you tomorrow," she waved and bounced back to the parking lot.  
  
Carrying her shinais and armor Kaoru took one step into the dojo and bowed. She removed her favorite shinai* from the case and pulled the tsuba* over the hilt.  
  
She sat down on the floor with her shinai next to her and began to put on her dogu*.  
  
"Hey," Eimi said and sat down to Kaoru's left.  
  
"How's it?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"Good. Your hair looks nice." Kaoru beamed at her.  
  
"Yahiko! Come on, warm up before we start," Kaoru yelled loudly and sauntered over to him deliberately past psycho-freak Enishi who didn't even spare her a glance.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Tonight was Himura Kenshin's first time at this dojo and he had come early to check it out. He seated himself quietly to right of the kamiza* with his swords propped against his left shoulder.  
  
Purple eyes watched through fiery bangs as people began to filter in. A slight look of surprise breezed past his face as he recognized one of his old rivals, Seta Soujirou. Even though he had lost to Kenshin, Soujirou had done so rather gracefully.  
  
Kenshin heard the footsteps approaching, "I've been expecting you, Himura Kenshin. I'm sensei Kazeaki," a voice said.  
  
He lifted his eyes to the man looming above him. He wasn't extraordinarily tall or broad or young or old and had short onyx hair. His brown eyes were friendly and oddly familiar.  
  
"Konbanwa," Kenshin stood up and gave a slight bow, keeping his eyes glued to the other man's.  
  
"You'll be with us for quite some time, right?" the man asked.  
  
"Oro?! I mean yes," Kenshin said. He hadn't expected anyone to know him or know that he would be staying. From what he gathered the dojo had many visitors but none that regularly trained there.  
  
"Don't just sit there, warm up," sensei commanded. Kenshin paused waiting for him to leave. When he didn't Kenshin gave a slight shrug and took a shinai, bokken, and their tsuba from his case. His hand brushed past the other compartment of his case that contained a particularly painful memento from his past. "Is that your sakabatou?"  
  
"Un," Kenshin said unnerved and Kazeaki sensei disappeared. He began stretching but stopped abruptly when he saw a girl enter the dojo. A beautiful girl. Her ebony hair was twisted into an elegant bun and he could see a swordsman's spirit glowing in her sapphire eyes.  
  
"Her hair is beautiful de gozaru yo," he mumbled barely audible surprising himself.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Your stretching wrong," Kaoru chastised lightly. "When you lower your shinai to the floor it should be centered. You're supposed to look away when you lower your shinai but look next time it's not centered."  
  
"Fine, busu," Yahiko said and tried.  
  
"Better, but not perfect, look." Kaoru pulled her shinai all the way back over her head then swung it slowly to the floor looking Yahiko in the eyes as she did so. "You shouldn't have to look at it for it to land in the middle."  
  
"Kaoru, I know this." Yahiko complained.  
  
"Fine. Kamae*. This is an exercise. When you take a step back you raise your shinai and when you step forward you hit men. I'll be doing the opposite of you so when your shinai is down mine will be up."  
  
(A/N: gomen, I forgot what this exercise is called -_-;)  
  
Yahiko started slowly and after getting the hang of it began to speed up. "Hey this is fun!" he said happily.  
  
"Well, it should be a little bit faster." Kaoru pushed the tempo up several notches. She pumped her arms up and down rather lazily, which was a big mistake. As her shinai came down the tsuba bumped the top of her head and she scowled. It didn't hurt but it had been such a long time since she had last hit herself.  
  
She stopped and reached up to smooth her hair and to her horror she discovered a giant bump on the top of her head. Quickly Kaoru scampered over to the mirror to inspect the damage.  
  
A small squeak escaped from her mouth. Her hair was sticking up in an odd arch and further more an irreparable arch.  
  
"Busu, that's a good look," Yahiko gave a guffaw.  
  
"Ah, my hair is ruined!" She stood there fidgeting with her hair in vain. Now Enishi would think that she was even more of a frump.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
He caught a last glimpse of the girl standing by the mirror playing with her hair before class began. Her bun was completely destroyed but she was still beautiful.  
  
Glossary 1. Shinai- a bamboo sword. It doesn't hurt too much when you get hit. They usually cost from 20-60 dollars. If you take good care of them they can last for as long as a year. Yes you have to take care of them. Inu- sempai said he had one that cost $80! O_O 2. Tsuba- it's the hand guards. That's what its called right? There's two rings that you slip over the hilt. They're plastic now. 3. Dogu- that's the armor. Called Bogu too mind you. I don't have mine yet but if you've read the mangas you'll know that when Kaoru-tachi wear them they're blue or black but there's red and white too!! And the first flap in the front usually has your name on it. 4. Kamiza- this is the little shrine thing in the dojo. It has several other names. You bow to it and the sensei before class and when you enter the dojo. Now though they don't always have a shrine but something that represents it. 5. Kamae- I think that the word that kamae is derived from is kamaeru. And that means like. posture or to prepare yourself. Well, from what I can gather it's your stance. So in a later chapter I'll explain just what it is.  
  
A/N: Now. if you're wondering this does happen. You really do ruin your hair. -_- I love my hair- it's getting long and it changes colors. I wish it would stay dark! I don't actually have my armor yet but I can get it in November *celebrates*. Did you know that sensei thinks that it will only cost $780 or so. yes only. I've heard that it can cost up to 2000 dollars @_@ So thanks for reading. and to tell you: I really do have a plot to this story!!!!! Review, review? 


	4. Kenshin meets and actually talks to Kaor...

(4)Kenshin meets (and actually talks to) Kaoru Aichan  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. damn. but that doesn't mean I don't love him!!!!!  
  
A/N: Woo hoo!!! I actually wasn't gonna update till next Friday since I have to finish writing umm.five essays by the fourth about the good earth! And today's the third-actually its two in the morning and I have to go to bed then wake up and finish!!!!! Then we start school!!!! But all the reviews?! Oo this is my first fic so I didn't know what to expect! I am soooo glad ur enjoying!!! Oh and I completed my Kenshin manga collection *celebrates* Umm. this fic as a whole might become more serious. but sometimes it has to be (especially regarding Kenshin's past-it's a little different) but I am trying to squeeze in my jokes. Well, just to let u noe, I have another fic I'm working on. I'll put a summary at the bottom of this chap!!! Well I'd appreciate it if u read it when I post it! Onegai? (can you tell that I'm the type of person who can talk just like MIsao?) Ne way off to the story canchan HEY!! This is another chap written by ASHULI!!!!!  
  
Kaoru, after grabbing her books, closed her locker and headed around the corner toward to school exit doors. "Heaven help. Seventh period was murder. Where's that Misao? Tameiki-sensei wanted me to give her - what the h.?"she mumbled.  
  
She stopped mid-sentence at the sight of the incredibly ridiculous scene before her.  
  
A red-head boy - though his long tresses had led Kaoru to assume that he was a girl for a second- was running from what had to be all of the girls at Fukuju High with only the exceptions of Misao and herself. Even though Kaoru felt slightly sorry for him, he must have done something completely horrible to deserve being hunted like a fox. Those girls looked like they wanted to tear him apart, limb by limb. Her best guess was that he was a hentai just like most- no all, guys were. But, then again, he didn't quite look the type.  
  
"Now, now, Kaoru, you shouldn't judge people by their looks. Their extremely cute looks," she thought, then shook her head sharply to be rid herself of it. Urgh. Men.  
  
Just when she was about to step out of the way of the mob, she observed to her slight dismay that they were speeding up. Uh-oh. Kaoru took turns around a few more corners until she reached safety. She breathed out a sigh of relief, closing her eyes.  
  
Then.  
  
BAM!  
  
She collided with something. A fairly short something. Whatever it was, was only slightly taller than her.  
  
"Ow!" Kaoru exclaimed, her voice accompanied by another.  
  
"Oro?! Sumimasen! Are you hurt? I'm so sorry de gozaru!" said the other voice.  
  
Kaoru didn't open her eyes as she rubbed the pain in her head away. "No, it's OK. Daijoubou. My books!" she added as she looked at her books now strewn across the floor.  
  
"That's my fault too! I'm sorry!" The stranger bent down to pick up Kaoru's schoolbooks.  
  
She couldn't get a clear view of his face; his back was turned to her. It was obvious, however, that this was the boy who was being chased by the rabid group of teens. The fiery red hair was tied in a low ponytail, and the boy's ever-apologizing voice was gentle and soft.  
  
He finished picking up her books then he turned towards Kaoru and smiled sheepishly. "Here," he said, handing her the texts. "I'm really very sorry de gozaru yo. I wasn't watching where I was going and."  
  
His words fell to deaf ears. Kaoru was no longer listening to his voice. She was staring into his pure amethyst eyes. Like his voice, they were gentle too.  
  
Kaoru's reverie was suddenly interrupted by a deafening screech of, "Himura- saaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!"  
  
Himura's eyes stretched wider than humanly possible. "Um, I'm very sorry de gozaru yo! I have to go!"  
  
He then poised himself to run and launched off like a rocket again down the hall. The screaming girls quickly followed, along with calls of, "Himura- san! Come back, please!"  
  
"Himura-san! Go out with me!"  
  
"Himura-sempai! I really like you!"  
  
"Himura-san, you're so cute!"  
  
The extremely ecstatic group of teenage girls rushed past Kaoru, whose books were still clutched in her arms tightly, completely ignoring her.  
  
Once the noise, Kaoru's shock, and the dust settled and died, she took a moment to put two and two together. Number one, this guy was being chased by girls. Two, they were screaming that they loved him. Three, he was cute, polite, and a very fast runner. Add that all together and it equals: they weren't chasing him because he was a hentai and they wanted to roast him on a skillet with an apple firmly lodged in his mouth; they were chasing him because he was the very opposite and they wanted to huggle him to death.  
  
"Himura-san." Kaoru tested his name on her lips for the first time. It was an honorable name, no doubt, yet something was missing: his first name.  
  
With a determined look on her face she said to no one in particular, "I will find out more about him."  
  
But the flame of determination died as quickly as it had come as she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, breathing deeply.  
  
"No, Kaoru, you're not into boys, remember?" she breathed. Not since- Enishi. Her voice trailed off.  
  
She decided not to think about it anymore while she walked slowly towards the exit. Boys only brought trouble and more trouble. It was a lesson she learned the hard way.  
  
Anyway, it was time to pick up Yahiko-chan. She gave a hard push on the handle of the large school doors.  
  
A/N: Hey Canchan here. This is the other chap by Ashuli. Sorry Ash I've edited. MMM. I'm having just so much fun writing this!! Review, Review?  
  
Well, I've been just so excited that I uploaded three chaps in around. as many days or less. So I didn't respond to any of the reviewers. Thanks for the R&R!! Gomen!  
  
I'm really new at this. Can you tell?  
  
Anyway I'll try to update at least like. once a week or maybe two. School you know ^_^;  
  
So for the reviews stuffs here we go:  
  
Kaira~ sorry!!! LoL too bad ne? I tried to tell u but u weren't online  
  
Julia~ glad u liked it! Keeping them in character is sorta hard. sorry if later chaps are a little OOC-like. I'm trying!  
  
Califpinay~ hmmm. interesting. I'll take it as a compliment ^_^  
  
Flyinangel777~Thankies!!!! Yes. dubbed voices *shudder* they seem to have an obsession with cows. COWru, miSOW *grins*I notice these things. hope u got my email!!  
  
Chu-chu~ I'll make sure I update ANd finish da story!! Thanx!!!  
  
Kimiko and Haru~ thankies!!! I feel loved!  
  
Curlsofserenity~ well, I intro'd him in chap three! And now you get to really meet him!!  
  
Jello~~thankies I noe u don't like rk fics and mayb I'll try givin yu yu a whirl and I wanna do the inuyasha one!! I'll mention u!  
  
Lil-mis-kitsune~ thankies!!! Its reviews like urs that make people wanna update!  
  
Pensquared~ well, I was upset too when I saw myself in the mirror with a stupidly huge bump in my beautiful bun!!!!!! I had to take my hair down!!  
  
Innocence~U noe I have another fic that may seem like a K/E but its really canon! I wish u'd read it!! Well up to u- here's a summary  
  
Umm well it's unnamed as of now! Romance/.drama? Ne way here we go:  
  
At first it seems like Romeo and Juliet. Kaoru, a Japanese girl, falls in love with Enishi, a white soldier. But enters Kenshin, Kaoru's childhood friend, and slowly Kaoru is drawn into a dangerous love triangle. Does she have the courage to leave Enishi for Kenshin? 


	5. Sushi

(5)Sushi Can-chan  
  
A/N: Oh gosh! I'm such a baka!!! Ahhh, feel soo stoopid! How could I have posted the wrong chap?! I'm really new at this sooo gomen!!!! *hits head against wall* I'll repost the uneven chap in the next couple of days. *pouts* I hope you don't think I'm that pathetic! That's what you get for posting at two forty-five in the morning.  
  
"Himura Kenshin" was the name on the whole high school's lips and it had become a daily ritual for the majority of the high school girls to chase him all the way from locker to front door. And like everyday since her initial run in with Kenshin when the bell rang Kaoru quickly left her classroom and retreated to the school gym in hopes of avoiding the mob of girls that she knew would be pursuing that poor boy.  
  
Misao wasn't there when Kaoru arrived in the gym so she decided to get a head start on her homework. Math truly was evil.  
  
Kaoru heard the gym doors burst open. She looked up expecting her friend but to her surprise the person stumbling into the gym wasn't Misao; it was Himura-san. He was backing away from the door with quick deliberate steps.  
  
"Oh, hi," Kaoru said casually. "I thought you were Misao."  
  
His red hair flew as he spun around to meet the possible threat. "Oro," he squeaked a little fearfully.  
  
"I'm not going to chase you," Kaoru replied haughtily. Himura nearly sighed.  
  
"Himura-san, wait up!" echoed down the hall along with the pounding of a dozen pairs of sneakers and high heels.  
  
"You want me to get rid of them?" Kaoru offered and Himura nodded vigorously. "Okay but you have to play along."  
  
The gym door burst open and a dozen girls stormed in and stopped dead in their tracks. Kaoru had slipped her hand into Kenshin's callused one and was slowly walking towards them to the door, her backpack slung over her shoulder.  
  
"I love you" s died on the lips of every girl as the two walked down the hall and out of the building.  
  
As soon as the pair was out of sight, Kaoru dropped Kenshin's hand and pulled her cell phone out of her jeans pocket.  
  
"Misao, hey, meet me by my locker," Kaoru said. Kenshin was still there looking sheepish when Kaoru turned back around.  
  
"Arigatou," Kenshin said and smiled.  
  
"No problem, I'm Kamiya Kaoru by the way. Going to my locker," she said and started walking again.  
  
To her surprise he continued with her down the steps and to her locker. When they arrived Misao was already there waiting.  
  
"Hey, Kaoru," Misao said with raised eyebrows when she saw Kenshin behind her.  
  
"Helped him get rid of them," Kaoru explained. Misao nodded at her and beamed.  
  
Suddenly a voice boomed, "Deshi, I wanted to watch you get chased by a bunch of little girls."  
  
"Shishou, it's not fun de gozaru yo," Kenshin said not amused. Kaoru and Misao turned around to see who was talking with Kenshin. He was a tall muscular man wearing a stupid white coat and carrying a bottle of osake; it was obviously Hiko Seijyurou, the rich, arrogant businessman who had just moved to town. Both girls were sure the school board would not appreciate him carrying the bottle around campus.  
  
"How did you manage to out run all of those girls so quickly?" Kenshin's Shishou asked.  
  
"Kaoru-dono helped me," Kenshin said. Hiko cast a glance at Kaoru and gave a knowing smirk.  
  
"These are your new friends, huh? Why don't you invite them to dinner to thank her for saving you?" He suggested.  
  
"Food?!" Misao exclaimed with wide eyes. Kaoru had made her study for a science test all through lunch.  
  
"Kaoru-dono would you and Misao-dono like to go to dinner with us?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Food!?" Misao exclaimed again.  
  
"Well." Kaoru said.  
  
"Kaoru, food!? Oooo, food! You're paying Hiko-sama?" Misao asked incredulously. When Hiko nodded she continued. "Can we go to Genki Sushi*? I like how the food goes around and you have to catch it! Mmmm. Masago* and Unagi*! I like masago best, it goes pop!"  
  
"Of course Misao-dono," Kenshin said for his shishou who had already turned to walk to the car.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Misao stormed into the Genki Sushi twenty minutes later braid flailing with Kaoru, Kenshin, and Hiko in tow. Almost before the waitress could seat them Misao headed for the booth nearest the train station.  
  
"This one!" Misao yelled. Kaoru quickly crawled into the booth before Misao could, as she knew that Misao would chase the dishes that she wanted around the room if she couldn't catch them on the first go.  
  
"Ooo, I haven't had a chance to come here for a while! Okina says that I cost too much. But it's not like I get the most expensive dishes!"  
  
The waitress came back, "Would you like any other drinks?" she asked politely she lowered a blue teapot onto the table.  
  
"How about a Pepsi?" Misao said happily. The waitress nodded.  
  
"And can I have a bowl of miso soup and some rice?" Kaoru asked. The waitress nodded again then walked away and Kaoru picked up the teapot. She reached across the table and turned over Kenshin's cup and daintily filled it with ocha*. Then in turn she filled Hiko's, Misao's, and lastly her own. Kaoru was at dinner with two people whom she didn't really know and her father's lessons of proper etiquette kept replaying in her head.  
  
The miniature train carrying all the sushi was coming back around and Kaoru could tell that Misao was getting anxious. Kenshin, she noticed, also perked up ever so slightly in his seat.  
  
Hiko noticed too and said contemplatively as he sipped his sake, "When Kenshin was six he chased the train when he saw a huge ebi on a sushi. The poor lady sitting in the booth behind us must have been traumatized when he derailed the train and landed in the seat next to her."  
  
"ORO?! Do you have to tell everyone that?" He responded to Hiko. "That was how I got this scar de gozaru," Kenshin then said to Kaoru indicating the downward slash that made up half of his cross-shaped scar on his cheek. "I fell across her knife. But I did get my." the rest of Kenshin's sentence was cut off by Misao's shout.  
  
"Ahh, I want that one!" she threw herself across Kaoru at the three masago sushi on a yellow plate passing them.  
  
"Misao!" Kaoru yelled. She had just been about to sip her tea but let go of her cup just in time.  
  
Weasel girl pulled it off of the train and slid back to her seat. Kenshin too had removed a plate. He was looking down at his plate of sushi happily a stupid smile plastered onto his face. Kaoru though was waiting for the waitress to come back with her bowl of miso soup.  
  
"Here's your soup miss," the waitress said. Kaoru smiled at her and picked up her spoon.  
  
"Do you mind?" she asked spoon poised to deposit generous amounts of rice into her soup.  
  
Kenshin nodded then Hiko nodded and said, "But didn't your parents teach you any manners? I taught my baka deshi but unluckily he took the words to heart." Kaoru scowled.  
  
Before Kaoru had even taken a bite of her soup (wow, that sounds weird. but she's eating the rice in the soup!*) Misao had already downed one of the sushi in front of her and gotten a plate of Unagi and some sashimi* (looked like Ahi) and mixed some shoyu* into a glob of wasabi*. There was a few stray orange masago on the corner of her mouth. Kaoru looked at her friend then at the masago sushi and took one.  
  
Misao gasped, "Kaoru!" But the other girl had already dumped out most of the eggs onto the remainder of her rice, something she did at home. Then she ate the rest of the sushi rice wrapped in nori*, "Mou!"  
  
"You can get another," Kaoru smiled.  
  
"But I. I wanted that one!" the girl moaned and everybody laughed and Hiko took another swig of sake.  
  
Vocabulary: 1. Genki Sushi- do they have them on the mainland? I dunno.  
  
2. Masago- fish eggs. They are also called tobiko (what I usually call them) or ebiko. They're flying fish eggs not salmon eggs. The little orange ones. AAHHh soo good!!^_^  
  
3. Unagi- eel. Sorta reminds me of sardines -_-; Taste good though.^_^  
  
4. Ocha- tea. Good.  
  
5. Ebi-shrimp  
  
6. Sashimi- raw fish. I don't like it but I'm trying to learn!! It's slimy! Poke is .. hard for me to eat too.  
  
7. Shoyu- you know what this is right? Soy sauce for those of you who don't.  
  
8. Wasabi- now you have to know that!! It's good and green!!  
  
9. Nori- seaweed. How can you not like nori?! It's a mandatory part of life! You need it for Spam musubis and musubis in general!! Heck eats it all alone!! Da Korean one is good ^_^  
  
A/N: Ahhhhh, I love tobiko!!!!! It's sooo good! They go pop!! I can just eat it and some rice. And miso soup! Grandma makes great miso soup. I could eat it all day. Ok so maybe in Japan they don't put their rice in their soup but in Hawaii we do. It's pretty sad how much Japanese food I eat. close to none! What kind of Japanese am I? Gotta learn to eat. tamago gohan and natto. its gross though _. I'll try. completely disgusting!! But I can eat my tofu right out of the carton. well after you drain the water! 


	6. uneven

5)Uneven Can-chan  
  
A/N: finished mai essays!!!!! Yea!!! Ok so now this is prolly gonna b the last chap for the week or so cuz we start school tomorrow *yells* NO YOU CANT MAKE ME!!!!! Ne way here we go.  
  
Disclaimer: Canchan and Ashuli don't own ruroken.  
  
Canchan: well that's ok!! If they were mine I couldn't obsess with them! Loving your own characters is like incest! Your characters are like your children! Ya, I agree with Watase-chan! On to the story!  
  
Kaoru stood in the middle of a clearing in a tiny forest near the Kohaku River her feet protected by her white tabi*. She often visited this area when she wanted to be alone or when she felt the need to train away from the constant criticism of her sempai. This was her special sanctuary and she tolerated others only when they were extremely quiet.  
  
Today she was here to train. Her shinai was tightly gripped in her left hand and she was striking the same spot in the air repeatedly and somewhat viciously. A stubborn determination made her sapphire eyes dazzle.  
  
Kaoru paused, slightly breathless, "Three hundred. Two hundred to go. Men*, men, men," she resumed her kiai*. Beads of sweat made her bangs stick to her forehead in odd clumps and her bicep began to tingle.  
  
(A/N: btw you know if a real person were to try and hit five hundred single handed men they'd sprain their arm. Heck if they tried to hid A Hundred they prolly wouldn't be able to train at all for a month.)  
  
To Kenshin-tachi* whose butts were planted in the grass some twenty feet away on a little hill Kaoru's shinai was a simple blur as she worked herself into a fevered frenzy. Yahiko stared blank-eyed at his sempai.  
  
"What's she doing?" Misao whispered behind her hand to Yahiko rather obviously.  
  
"Training her left arm," he managed.  
  
"Duh," Misao said, "But I mean, have you ever seen her work so hard? It's not like she has any tournaments coming up. Did Megumi offer her something if she got promoted to Ni Dan in the next two months? I personally wouldn't work that hard unless Megumi offered to buy me a new car. Gee, she's not even yelling at me to be quiet!"  
  
A voice interrupted Misao's babbling.  
  
"Kaoru-dono, your kamae is sloppy de gozaru yo," Kenshin said loudly and rather bravely in his opinion.  
  
Kaoru stopped mid swing and slowly turned to the small red haired boy her long black hair catching the wind. Wrath blazed in her eyes as she locked her azure gaze with Kenshin's violet one. Stomping over she raised her shinai menacingly.  
  
"Kenshin, are you criticizing me?! Do you think that you're better than me o mighty.Mighty.!?"  
  
"Oro?!" he yelped, "I didn't mean to criticize its just that bad habits are difficult to break de gozaru!"  
  
"Busu, what are you doing practicing with only your left arm?" Yahiko asked. "Wouldn't it be better if you practiced with both?"  
  
"I know what I'm doing," she snapped back.  
  
"Yeah, Kaoru, what are you doing?" Misao piped up. "Megumi didn't offer to buy you a car did she, a new dress, or maybe," she paused hopefully, "she's going to get me. I mean you a new game boy!"  
  
"No she didn't. It's just that. it's just that." Kaoru, not knowing whether to tell her secret anguish, hesitated before plowing ahead. "My biceps are uneven!" she exclaimed dramatically and burst into tears quite like she had the night she got drunk at Sano's "going away" party last summer. "So are my calves!"  
  
There was a split second of stunned silence as they all stared at Kaoru whose eyes had swollen to five times their normal size and looked like leaking faucets then both Yahiko and Misao exploded into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Even Kenshin had joined in with his Rurouni grin plastered on his face. Kaoru hadn't expected them to be upset by her uneven body but the last thing she expected was for them to laugh at her.  
  
"You crack me up!" Misao stifled another round of laughs.  
  
"That's the last thing you have to worry about, Busu," Yahiko mumbled on the loud side still snorting with laughter.  
  
"You think I'm ugly, you little baka? Well, just imagine what you'll look like after I train you until MY body is evenly proportioned. Get up," Kaoru hauled the struggling boy to his feet by his gi and back to the clearing.  
  
"Aw, I'm still sore from our last training session," he complained but still taking his shinai off his back. "And I'm wearing jeans!"  
  
"Oh, well, we're doing an akuriachi* exercise-easy. Come on, Kamae," Kaoru commanded. Yahiko obliged and fell into stance-right foot in front of left, left heel slightly raised, and shinai pointing to his opponent's throat. "'Kay so the tips of both our shinais are supposed to stay at this distance. Slightly crossed like this and if I take a step back you take a step forward."  
  
"Hurry up, busu. I know all this," Yahiko coughed. "Before we start, I want to see just how uneven your arms really are." His reddish brown eyes were alive with anticipation.  
  
Kaoru laid down her shinai and rolled up her sleeves. When she flexed her muscle it was clear that they were indeed uneven. Her right arm was at least three times larger than her left and quite a deal more defined.  
  
"I guess this is the price you pay for being good," she hiccupped still slightly upset. "This and the callus at the base of your left pinky. And the blisters the size of half dollars on the soles of your feel. And the aching arms the day after. And all the money. And."  
  
"Well, Kenshin's good and his arms are even," Yahiko interrupted.  
  
"Are you sure? Have you ever measured?" Kaoru asked and pulled out a tape measure from the magical fifth dimension. Yahiko shook his head.  
  
"Oi, Kenshin? Kaoru wants to see if your arms are even?" Yahiko yelled back to Kenshin who was trying to stop Misao from Kunai-ing him to death (apparently he had given her braid a sharp tug to make her stop laughing.)  
  
His, "Oro?" was accompanied by screams of, "Don't ever pull my hair again! Or I'll cut off yours!" issuing from Misao's mouth.  
  
"Never mind, Kenshin. Go. go do some laundry!" Kaoru said as a slight blush crept over her cheeks. The tape measure had mysteriously disappeared.  
  
"Happy?" Kaoru asked and picked up her shinai again, "Ikuyo. I'll be leading." Kaoru took a step forward and Yahiko took a step back. She took a step to the right and he took a step to the left. "Look at my eyes not the shinai!" She took one step back and he took one forward.  
  
She took one more step forward, two steps forward, three steps forward, four.  
  
*Splash!!*  
  
Yahiko hit the water. Kaoru had led him right into the Kohaku River.  
  
"That's what you get for calling me ugly!" she shouted quite pleased. Kenshin and Misao had come running at the unanticipated sound.  
  
Reaching down (using her left arm) she tried to pull the spiral-eyed boy out of the knee-deep water. And with an almighty yank Kaoru, too, found herself all wet.  
  
"Got you, busu!" Yahiko said just as happily as Kaoru had sounded a moment earlier.  
  
"Baka, this is my new blouse!" Kaoru roared her face reddening and fists balling.  
  
"Kaoru-dono, sessha wa would appreciate it if you didn't kill." but the rest of the Rurouni's statement was drowned out by the sound of Kaoru beating Yahiko into a bloody pulp. He sighed, "Guess I have laundry to do tonight de gozaru. That was one of my spare gi's and blood doesn't come out easy."  
  
Vocabulary  
  
1. Tabi- Japanese socks. They have firm soles and separate your big toe from the rest. Yea they're around $20 a pair?! What a rip off! Did you notice that Kenshin's tabi always match his gi. Kaoru's are always white.  
  
2. Men- ok we both know that Kaoru is not obsessed with men. maybe Kenshin but not men in general right? Ok so this is the helmet part of the armor.  
  
3. Kiai- it's the yell. You know what I'm talking about right? When you kiai in kendo you have to call the name of the area you're hitting so if you hit kote you have to say kote or if you hit men you have to say men or you don't get a point in a tournament. Karate you say Ai or Ae.  
  
4. Akuriachi- well this is one of the weird ways they walk in kendo. So you walk always with your right leg in front. Both your feet should be facing forward and your right heel should be parallel with your left toes. Left heal should always be raised a quarter inch. Leaves your left calf aching when you first start.  
  
5. Tachi- tachi has two meanings. It can be used to make a singular word plural but it can also be used as Kenshin and others. In this fic I've used it as the second one!!  
  
A/N: hey thanx for reading and reviewin!! And to them peeps who are just reading thanks but I'd loooove if you'd review!!! Even if it just was a "hi read ur fic" review I'd appreciate it! I just wanna know who's out there reading my stuff!! I do believe that this was the first chapter I wrote of this fic. Ok, so you know you really can lead people into things like that. I got lead into a truck! Not a moving one mind you ^_^. And you really do get uneven muscles. *sigh* I don't think my biceps will ever be even ever again! That's ok, it's the price you pay. That and the blisters. I got one right below my pink. and I got one on the tip of my toe. and Inu-sempai had a half dollar sized blister on the sole of his left foot. Sometimes you get blood blisters. Ewwww. But even though they're not good things they're a sign of a good thing-that you're training hard. Poor Kenshin, he probably suffered more than you can imagine to learn hiten mitsurugi ryu. Well just to say, if it seems like this fic isn't going anywhere plot wise just read on!!!! I promise there is a plot! Canchan PS. Review review??? 


	7. Rental Trouble

Rental Trouble  
  
"Megumi's going to rent out the extra bedroom?!" Misao said incredulously. Megumi, Kaoru's aunt, had always refused every time someone mentioned renting out the extra bedroom.  
  
"Yeah, she is," Kaoru said. It was lunch period and Kaoru was sitting with Misao, Aoshi, and Kenshin on one of those ugly green picnic tables that the school thinks are simply wonderful. "I think she wants some extra spending cash and to maybe go back to school."  
  
"Well, Shishou would never let any one in the house. He always mumbles something about hermits not wanting company whenever I have friends over," Kenshin said. The girls giggled and Kenshin grinned. Aoshi laughed too, or at least he gave his version of one-a muffled grunt.  
  
"It'd be weird huh?" Kaoru thought out loud. "I mean to have somebody else in our house. It's only been her and me for the last two years." She took another small bite of her turkey sandwich.  
  
"So do you think that if Okina gets on my nerves I could stay there?" Misao asked.  
  
"Misao, I don't think that-" Kaoru was cut off by.  
  
"ORO?!" Kenshin yelled as a chawan bowl slammed into the side of his head.  
  
"Hey sorry!" It was Sagara Sanosuke resident thug of Fukuju high his trademark fish bones stuck out of his mouth. His brother apparently had been an old friend of Kaoru's aunt. "Hey Jouchan," he directed at Kaoru, "think I could borrow a dollar for lunch? Mine seemed to have liked the back of Mr. heartthrob's head."  
  
Kaoru scowled, "No, why do you think I have any money? It's your fault that you don't have lunch now."  
  
"Oh, come on! Library fines just take such a huge bite out of my profits." "Hard to believe you know what a library is," Kaoru shot back.  
  
A sudden thumping sound came from Kaoru's right. Aoshi had put his bottle of soda down rather . firmly on the table.  
  
"Here," he said and pushed a giant Spam musubi at Sanosuke.  
  
The ends of the rooster-like bandana drooped slightly, "Thanks." He turned and walked away. Kaoru and Kenshin exchanged meaningful glances when they spotted the word written across Sano's back-warui.  
  
"Aoshi-sama, that was really nice of you!" Misao exclaimed. "See I knew you were a sweetheart!' Kaoru swore she could see the little hearts dancing in Misao's eyes as she gazed at her new "friend".  
  
"I've heard that Sagara Sanosuke is mixed up in some sort of drug business. Don't think that he's stupid enough to take any himself but any money you give him will probably find its way to his. profession," Aoshi explained stoically as though to say that he wasn't trying to be kind.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Kenshin was hiding in a closed staircase that had probably once led to the roof of the school building. It had a fantastic view of the school grounds. In the distance he could see the football team training and the kids leaving campus.  
  
Today he had had a particularly hard time out running a group of three girls who still wanted him to date them. These girls who wanted to go out with him now would never have so much as spoken to him if they knew the details of his not too spotless past.  
  
He sighed. Life in Fukuju (apart from the rabid girls that hunted him like a bunny) seemed so easy. There were new friends, new classes. Before Shishou had gotten the business deal that had demanded that he and his nephew had to move out of Naku, Kenshin had been miserable. In the old neighborhood Kenshin had been "the boy who had no parents and whose sister was murdered" or "battousai". Sympathy and fear were not the best neighbors.  
  
"Oi, what are you doing here? This is my spot." a voice interrupted his reverie. It was the boy from Lunch, Sagara Sanosuke, climbing the steps towards him. "Are you really Battousai? Maa, must be-cross shaped scar and red hair just like they told me."  
  
Kenshin looked up. The other boy sat down next to him and flicked the ashes from his cigarette. Just when he thought the world had forgotten him this punk shows up.  
  
"Iiya. I'm not Battousai any more," Kenshin's eyes darkened.  
  
"Ok well, I'm Sagara Sanosuke but you can call me Sano," he took another drag on his cigarette and gazed out at the campus grounds. "Your sister was murdered right? Yes, I remember the rumors: a masked man had hired some twenty men to help him murder a girl. And after that each man who had helped had been sliced into pieces on the streets of Naku. They said it was you who killed them and gave you a name just like those soldiers of the bakumatsu, Hitokiri Battousai." He paused and Kenshin didn't respond. So, they hadn't forgotten. Sano went on, "I'm not here to judge. I would have done the same thing."  
  
"I'm not Battousai any more though," Kenshin said.  
  
Suddenly a cell phone began to ring and Sano quickly pulled out a tiny Nokia out of his pocket, "Moshi moshi. Sano here," a pause then, "what do you mean your throwing me out?! You found what in my room? Opium?! You want me to get out by Friday? Fine." He hung up the phone. "Dammit, stupid gramps!"  
  
"Opium?" Kenshin asked. Aoshi had been right then.  
  
"It's not like it sounds. Well, maybe it is but I don't push to little kids or anything. 'member I said that I would have done the same as you did well this was how I was planning to get them.  
  
* * *  
  
~Five years ago~  
  
A twelve-year-old Sano was running down the street trailed by five or six punks. They were monstrous guys and Sano didn't think that they had any moral qualms about killing him. After all he had just dumped several thousand dollars of coke on the ground and hastily sketched the word "Sekihoutai" into the white powder.  
  
Sano and his brother Souzou were the last members of the renowned gang the Sekihoutai. Over the last few years the majority of their members had been murdered or had mysteriously "fallen ill".  
  
Even though they were almost extinct Sano still made sure that the legacy was not forgotten. Whenever it seemed that the rival gangs had forgotten them Sano took another risky mission into enemy territory.  
  
Tonight though it seemed that he had gone too far. Or maybe it was just that tonight he got caught.  
  
"We're gonna kill you punk!" Sano heard from behind him. He turned a corner and stumbled into the Naku mall-neutral territory. His breathing was ragged.  
  
He rushed past a big lady carrying her baby and spluttered an apology and then tripped into the Genki Sushi. If he were lucky his brother would be there to bail him out.  
  
Today he was lucky. His brother was sitting in the corner and looked up when Sano stumbled in. "What's wrong, Sano?" he asked calmly.  
  
"Umm. got caught," Sano replied breathlessly and Souzou stood up.  
  
"Let's go." He led Sano out of the back of the restaurant. With a little more luck Sano would be able to avoid those guys. Guess he wasn't that lucky. The half dozen guys were waiting for him as soon as he got out of the mall.  
  
"Ooo, kid you're gonna die! Hey there are two of them." Souzou was standing slightly in front of Sano. He had drawn his sword, the trademark weapon of the Sekihoutai.  
  
"Sano, go, I'll take care of them." The thugs charged and Souzou pushed Sano backwards. "Go!"  
  
And he left; ran for dear life. A gunshot rang out from behind him but Sano wasn't worried. His brother would be fine; he was invincible.  
  
* * *  
  
"Turns out," Sano said and leaned back and took a long drag, "that Souzou got shot and died instantly. They planted a bunch of L.S.D on him and the handgun so the police figured that it was just another drug related suicide. They placed that label on his back and I still wear it now. That's how I ended up in this business. I needed a way to get close to them."  
  
Kenshin carefully nullified any emotion on his face, "Did you get your . revenge?"  
  
Sano gave a smirk, "I didn't have to. Turns out that those six were among the men who helped murder your sister." Kenshin's eyes darkened again. "Well, and by the time I was close enough to have done the job myself they were already dead."  
  
The two sat in silence, Sano puffing his cigarette and Kenshin deep in thought.  
  
"So now," Sano said casually, "it's up to you. Either you can keep my secret or not but either way I win; if you don't tell then I've found a new friend; if you tell then I have a chance to revenge two of my fellow members of the Sekihoutai."  
  
Kenshin looked up but his fiery, red bangs still concealed his eyes, "Did they help?"  
  
"Yeah, they needed the money. I was in the hospital; needed my appendix out."  
  
"Gomen."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
It was Friday night Kaoru and Megumi were sitting in the kitchen eating dinner. It had been two days since Megumi had originally decided to offer the room up for rent and no one had come to look at it.  
  
Right after they had finished there was a short knock on the door and Kaoru got up to answer it. Standing in the rain was Kenshin and surprisingly- Sano.  
  
"Konbanwa, Kaoru-dono. Seems that a friend on fine needs a place to stay for a while. I'd let him stay at my place but you know my uncle and hermit crabs." Kenshin said as the rain continued to turn his red hair into a more of a dark auburn. Water was making his red tabi heavy.  
  
"O..okay," Kaoru stepped back to let them in. "Megumi, for you. Kenshin wait here." She went upstairs to find a few clean towels for her houseguests.  
  
From upstairs Kaoru could hear Megumi talking to the Sano. "So how long are you planning to stay?"  
  
"Don't know," was Sano's response. Kaoru could just imagine the fish bone in his mouth wiggling up and down as he said that.  
  
"You have a job? I'm not gonna just let you stay here for nothing."  
  
"I have a ."  
  
"Sano." Kenshin cut him off softly. During their little chat Sano had said that he would be leaving the drug business for good.  
  
"Ok, then, I just quit my job. I have at least enough money for the month."  
  
Kaoru came back downstairs a couple of green towels in her hands. She walked to the kitchen where negotiations had moved and were continuing. Kenshin and Sano both gratefully accepted the towels Kaoru handed them and began attempting to dry off.  
  
"So," Megumi said and sipped her tea, "how're you gonna pay after that then? You know I'm willing to make a deal with you because I was good friends with your brother."  
  
"Ok, sure." Sano was busy blotting his bandana dry and Kenshin was wringing out his long hair. A sudden thought flashed through Kaoru's head; his hair must feel real good. Quickly she pushed it away.  
  
"So after next month, you're gonna come work for me at the clinic. I'll find something easy for you to do and in return you get your room. The only rooms you can't go in are mine and Kaoru's."  
  
"Good, good."  
  
"Okay then that's settled. Here's your key. Kaoru'll show you to your room."  
  
A/N: Hmmm. well. So I'm finally getting into something that resembles a plot. Bit more serious ne? ^_^ Watching Vash now!!! I remember seeing an ep of trigun and thinking that Vash was just like Kenshin. ne? Don't worry I still totally love Kenshin! Well. I was visiting a site online that said Kenshin was only 5 ft 2 in. Can that be possible? I thought that he'd be at least three inches taller! Well he's still like three and a quarter inches taller than me!! I've come to peace with being short but five feet would be nice. I guess now I should practice my kirikaeshi and do!!! Hmm.. Maybe I'll make some more Sano/Megumi stuff in a later chap. What you think? Oh, and I'll make a chap a little about Kenshin's past, and I want one about Yahiko or Misao. Mmmmmmmm. I have to do dishes. Mou. dun wanna!! I wish I had someone to do my laundry like Kaoru. sigh. till next time canchan O and PS. REVIEW!!! ONEGAI!!! Oh and BTW. Sagara Taichou no na wa Souzou da.ne? That's what it said in the second manga!! Wow, when I first got that one I nearly dropped the book when I saw his head on a platter.! 


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